Injuries have been quickly mounting for the New England Patriots this season. That includes during Sunday’s win against the Las Vegas Raiders when Will Campbell went down with a knee injury. That, in turn, forced first-round rookie Caleb Lomu into action against what has been an excellent Raiders pass rush this season.
Campbell would head to the locker room and later returned to the sideline with his helmet. However, after getting rolled up on and the knee injury that hampered him a season ago, it’s a major concern moving forward.
Luckily, in his place, Lomu played extremely well. He looked like the first-round pick he was, and with that, there’s plenty of reason to be excited about what he can do moving forward with the Patriots.
New England Patriots Rookie Caleb Lomu Graded by PFF
Shortly following the game, Pro Football Focus, or PFF, shared its rankings from the game. That included for Caleb Lomu.
The immediate takeaway for many, based on both PFF and what they saw on the field, was that Lomu was dominant in pass protection. Per PFF, Lomu had 29 pass block snaps. He didn’t allow a sack or a QB hit. He did allow one hurry and one total pressure. That was good for a 98.0 pass block efficiency rating.
PFF grades are on a 0-100 scale. That comes from a play-by-play breakdown, where players are graded on a -2 to +2 scale. A 0 grade for a player is a neutral or expected outcome. 60 ends up being an average grade by PFF standards.
Prior to the Raiders game, Lomu entered with an overall rating of 78.1 for the season. That was in limited snaps, unlike in the win on Sunday. So, he can probably expect that rating to continue to go up.
For a 21-year-old who was drafted to mostly develop in his rookie season, it’s a great start for Lomu.
Patriots HC Mike Vrabel, QB Drake Maye Praise Offensive Line
Entering the game, the Patriots knew they were going to be dealing with one of the best pass rushes in the entire NFL. The Raiders are led by Maxx Crosby, of course, but it’s been more than just him this season. In total, they entered with 11 sacks on the season.
It was a major test for the Patriots on the offensive line. In particular, as injuries have started to pile up. Luckily, they were up to that test. For the entire game on Sunday, the Patriots offensive line only gave up one sack. That was an effort that quarterback Drake Maye was thrilled with after the game.
“The first touchdown to Pop, I’m back there, credit to the offensive line, eating a ham sandwich. I got all day back there,” Maye said after the game.
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel had some coaching notes. Penalties, in particular, were a concern. Still, he had a hard time not celebrating the offensive line following the game as well.
“Proud of our offensive line,” Vrabel said. “I want to recognize them.”
Now, the Patriots will need to bring consistency to the offensive line, and carry that effort into next week. There, the Patriots are getting ready to play host to the New York Jets.
Patriots Rookie OT Caleb Lomu Graded by PFF Following Raiders Win